Zantel Tanzania has partnered with United Against Malaria through safe programme to promote awareness on prevention and treatment of disease.
The president of the Tanzania Football Federation Leodegar Tenga who is also Malaria Ambassador, address journalists during the launch of Zantel partnership with United Against Malaria to join in the fight against malaria in Tanzania. He is flanked by the Zantel Chief Commercial Officer, Sajid Khan. (Photo by Robert Okanda)
The Zantel Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Sajid Khan told reporters in Dar es Salaam this week that the partnership focuses on four pillars of malaria to be safe as education, protection, visibility and advocacy.
“We are proud to be part of this important communications campaign to help end malaria related deaths in Tanzania by using our core capacity as a telecom company to get the message out,” said Mr Khan.
“This is a critical moment for Tanzanians. A lot of progress has been made in the fight against malaria and as a Tanzanian company, we want to be part of this success,” he added.
Mr Khan noted that through education and protection pillars, Zantel would invest in ensuring their staff are educated on malaria, they get right treatment and are protected from the disease through distribution of nets to each staff.
He said the initiative will also be extended to Zantel customers through distribution of malaria related leaflets, posters and articles using Epiq Bongo Star Search, Epiq Open Mic and other company platforms.
“The well-being of our customers is Zantel’s number one priority and by this partnership the firm is sure to help its customers fight one of the leading killer diseases in the country,” he said.
He said Zantel was also committed to advocate for malaria safe initiative where CEOs will use different platforms, like business luncheons to call for more companies to join the cause. Also the company will provide different platforms to ensure visibility of malaria messages.
On his part, the president of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and Malaria Ambassador in Tanzania, Mr Leodeger Tenga said it was a great honour to participate in the launch of this important partnership.
“This partnership will allow Tanzania to reach the ambitious goal of ending malaria-related deaths by 2015,” insisted Tenga. Malaria is a major public health problem in Tanzania with annual deaths estimated at 60,000 – with 80 per cent of these deaths among children under five years of age.
Approximately 14 to 18 million clinical malaria cases are reported annually by public health services and more than 40 per cent of all outpatient visits are attributed to malaria.
By ASHERY MKAMA, Tanzania Daily News
